Sioux Center, Ia. – A crowd of more than 150 greeted Michele Bachmann with a standing ovation at Dordt College here Friday afternoon.

Bachmann, a presidential candidate and Minnesota congresswoman, won additional cheers with calls to shut down the federal Department of Education, restrict abortion and define marriage as strictly heterosexual.

Responding to a question, she offered a lengthy explanation of her interest in education policy, and her opposition to federal involvement in the issue.

“I want to close down the fed Department of Education, turn off lights, lock the doors and instead keep all that money in Iowa,” Bachmann said, to cheers.

Bachmann said education concerns were what prompted her to enter politics in the first place, after she became concerned with the work her foster children were doing in public schools.

The federal government has insinuated itself into local public schools, she said, and in the process has lowered the quality of education, wasted taxpayer dollars and overstepped its constitutional boundaries. The solution is to remove federal influence and empower parents to choose how their children are educated – be it in public schools, private schools, religious schools or at home.

“As a parent you should get to decide what kind of education you want for your children,” she said. “And you shouldn’t be economically disadvantaged because of the choice you make.”

The wide-ranging, hour-long political pitch was received warmly by the crowd, which was roughly evenly divided among college students, and members of the community.

She talked up her opposition to the federal health-care law she calls “Obamacare,” touted her foreign policy experience and expertise and offered an explanation for the financial crisis of 2008: the federal government push for expanded home ownership.